Smugglers, potential arms dealers and globe-trotting tax fugitives all feature in Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) Top Ten criminal cases of 2018. The list once again demonstrates HMRC’s relentless pursuit of tax criminals and shows the lengths some individuals will go to in order to steal money otherwise destined to support important public services.

The 2018 list also highlights the sheer diversity of crimes HMRC deals with, including the theft of Gift Aid money from charities, smuggling illicit tobacco in fridge freezers, breaching Weapons of Mass Destruction controls and buying top-end sports cars with the proceeds of crime.

From high-flying business people to tax consultants and from church leaders to organised criminals, HMRC’s fraud investigations have led to 671 individuals being convicted across the last 12 months for their part in tax crimes. In addition, HMRC has charged another 919 individuals and taken on 746 new criminal investigations.

A tax consultant who fled the UK before he could be arrested for masterminding a conspiracy to steal £6.9 million from construction workers’ pay packets going to prison. David Michael Hughes travelled to Chile, Dubai and Cyprus to evade justice and was eventually arrested at Heathrow Airport after arriving on a flight from Istanbul

Father and son tax fugitives finally behind bars after being captured in Spain and extradited to the UK. The £1 million VAT fraudster son tried to avoid jail by fleeing to France in a light aircraft, while his accomplice father escaped by ferry before they both headed to Spain

A company boss who was jailed for trafficking fighter jet parts to Iran in violation of Weapons of Mass Destruction controls. Alexander George shipped military items to Iran, including Russian MiG and US F4 Phantom parts, sent through various companies and countries

A church leader from Luton who lied about charity donations to fraudulently claim £150,000 Gift Aid repayments and has been jailed for four years

A high-flying businessman who masterminded a sophisticated £9.8 million international VAT fraud to fund his lavish lifestyle of flash cars and a luxury Spanish home has been jailed for nine years. Jason Butler used money from the fraud to fund his collection of supercars including a Ferrari Fiorano FI, a Ferrari 360, a Mercedes SL350 and a Lamborghini Murcielago. Butler also owned a Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow, a speedboat, a luxurious home in Marbella and 96 properties in Leeds

A Hemel Hempstead company director who funded his hobby of racing high-powered sports cars across Europe through a £450,000 tax scam. Simon Atkinson was already under investigation by HMRC for anti-money laundering offences when officers unearthed the six-figure tax fraud, which he used to finance his passion for racing Lamborghinis in competitive tournaments

Civil and criminal investigations

HMRC’s Fraud Investigation Service continues to bring in around £5 billion per annum through civil and criminal investigations.

Mel Stride, financial secretary to the Treasury, commented: “HMRC’s investigative teams have been working hard to crack down on tax crimes in the UK and hold those who would cheat the public revenue to account. The range of cases in the 2018 list demonstrates how HMRC will always tackle fraud and can prosecute anyone who steals from the public or breaks the rules, from smugglers through to potential arms dealers.”

Simon York, director of the Fraud Investigation Service, added: “As these cases show, HMRC can and will tackle the most serious tax crime and breaches of sanctions whether committed by organised criminals, professional advisors or wealthy individuals. We remain resolute and relentless in our determination to level the playing field and bring tax criminals to justice on behalf of the majority of citizens who pay their tax to fund vital public services.”

HMRC uses the full range of both criminal and civil powers to investigate tax cheats and continues to be successful in around 90% of criminal cases it brings to trial. However, the work doesn’t stop there. HMRC always looks to recover the proceeds from any crime committed and secure the funds involved for the public purse.

About the Author

Brian Sims BA (Hons) Hon FSyI, Editor, Risk UK (Pro-Activ Publications)
Beginning his career in professional journalism at The Builder Group in March 1992, Brian was appointed Editor of Security Management Today in November 2000 having spent eight years in engineering journalism across two titles: Building Services Journal and Light & Lighting.
In 2005, Brian received the BSIA Chairman’s Award for Promoting The Security Industry and, a year later, the Skills for Security Special Award for an Outstanding Contribution to the Security Business Sector.
In 2008, Brian was The Security Institute’s nomination for the Association of Security Consultants’ highly prestigious Imbert Prize and, in 2013, was a nominated finalist for the Institute's George van Schalkwyk Award.
An Honorary Fellow of The Security Institute, Brian serves as a Judge for the BSIA’s Security Personnel of the Year Awards and the Securitas Good Customer Award.
Between 2008 and 2014, Brian pioneered the use of digital media across the security sector, including webinars and Audio Shows. Brian’s actively involved in 50-plus security groups on LinkedIn and hosts the popular Risk UK Twitter site.
Brian is a frequent speaker on the conference circuit. He has organised and chaired conference programmes for both IFSEC International and ASIS International and has been published in the national media.
Brian was appointed Editor of Risk UK at Pro-Activ Publications in July 2014 and as Editor of The Paper (Pro-Activ Publications' dedicated business newspaper for security professionals) in September 2015.
Brian was appointed Editor of Risk Xtra at Pro-Activ Publications in May 2018.

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